Rogue Knight
by BelloftheSea
Summary: Sometimes things don't work out as perfectly as we think they should. Don't worry! They still work out... it just takes a little longer to get there. This is that story. It is a story about a Princess and a Rogue... and it begins like this.
1. Prologue

**Rogue Knight: A **_**Tangled**_** Fanfiction**

**

* * *

**

**Disclaimer: **All recognizable characters are the property of _Disney_. I do not own them but am grateful for the opportunity to use them in the unleashing of my own imagination.

**Rating:** This story is rated K+ for action and possible mild language.

* * *

**Prologue**

This is the story of the day I died.

Don't worry! It only begins there and obviously my death wasn't permanent; otherwise I wouldn't be here, now telling you about it.

This is a story about a princess and… it begins like this.

Once upon a time, I broke out of prison and raced to save the life of a girl who somehow managed to steal my heart and change my entire life's vision over the course of two days. Crazy right? Well, it wouldn't seem so crazy if you knew the girl.

That girl… was Rapunzel. Spunky, cheerful, grotesquely optimistic, handy with frying pan, incredibly long hair, beautiful, wonderful, amazing Rapunzel. There wasn't another girl like her in the whole world and I had fallen deeply, deeply in love with her.

Which is why I was risking everything to save her from being trapped in a tower for the rest of her life.

I raced to her tower on the captain of the guard's faithful stallion, Maximus, who didn't really like me but loved Rapunzel and so was more than willing to help me out for her sake. Upon reaching the tower, I called out to her.

"Rapunzel! Let down your hair!"

And she did. Down from the tower cascaded seventy-two feet of gorgeous and incredibly strong blonde hair. I used it to scale the tower wall, climbing to the small window which, for eighteen years, had provided Rapunzel's only glimpse into the outside world. I wasn't about to let her spend another day trapped like that. A girl like her didn't deserve to be locked up in a tower. She deserved to see the world.

Leaping through the window, I spotted Rapunzel on the other side of the room, her hands tied and handkerchief around her mouth. But where was…?

I felt the pain before I saw her. Rapunzel's mother dug a dagger deep into my side as I collapsed in pain. How did I let her sneak up on me like that? I should have been more aware. How could I be so stupid?

The witch had kept Rapunzel locked up her whole life, using Rapunzel's hair to keep herself young and beautiful. Did I mention that Rapunzel has magic hair that glows and heals things when she sings? Yeah, that's kind of important.

So, anyway, I was dying and all I could see was Rapunzel panicking, begging her 'mother' to let her save me with her hair. The witch refused at first, but then Rapunzel threw down an ultimatum.

If I died, she'd spend the rest of her life fighting the witch, always trying to get away. But if she was allowed to save me, she'd go willingly and spend the rest of her life keeping the witch young and beautiful.

She promised. And Rapunzel always keeps her promises.

The witch agreed but I wasn't about to let Rapunzel give up her life, her freedom, for me. So when Rapunzel came to me, covered me in her hair, and was about to start singing her song, I grabbed a shard of glass from a broken mirror that was laying on the ground beside me and used it to cut her hair, thus eliminating the magic and taking away the one thing the witch wanted. What I didn't expect was for the witch to then disintegrate into dust as she fell out the window. I guess her life was more tied to Rapunzel's hair then I thought. But that didn't matter anymore.

Rapunzel was free. She was safe. She could now go on to live her life however she wanted and I… I could feel my life slipping away from me.

Rapunzel leaned over me, begging me to hold on, but I knew it was too late. I wiped her tears away, whispering to her in my last moments, letting her know how important she was to me.

And then… I died.

What happened next, I only learned about much later. Apparently, Rapunzel's power hadn't all disappeared when I cut her hair because she cried over my body and in her grief and desperation, she sang the healing incantation she had used to make her hair glow. It shouldn't have done anything. But it did.

Her tears became the new medium trough which the magic was transferred. A single tear fell like a golden drop of sunlight and it healed me.

Unfortunately, it didn't work right away. Maybe it takes longer to bring someone back from the dead than it does to simply heal them. I don't know. All I know is that I didn't wake up for some time after that and, as far as anyone could tell, I was still dead.

In the meantime, Rapunzel fell asleep. Her grief and the stress of the day had drained her. Then the guards showed up. They were looking for me because I had escaped from prison, remember that? Yeah, so Maximus was worried about us so he brought them to the tower. They went up the hidden stairs in the back of the tower and found us there.

They brought both of us back to Corona. Rapunzel was apparently really tired because she didn't wake up during the trip and the King had the guards put her in a room in the castle. I was still thought to be dead so they put me in the morgue.

Which is where I woke up several hours later, extremely befuddled because I had also been sure I was dead. With no immediate explanations for this strange miracle available, I turned my thoughts to figuring out where I was and, more importantly, where Rapunzel was.

There was no one else in the morgue, except for two box-coffins which probably held bodies… I didn't really want to know, so I went outside. I half expected there to be guards there which was pretty dumb of me. Who would station guards for a dead body?

It didn't take long for me to figure out that I was in the dungeon of the castle. After all, I had been there just that morning and dungeons look pretty much the same no matter which part of them you're in . But if I was here, where was Blondie?

Lost in thought trying to figure out how I ended up there and why I was even alive, I wasn't really prepared when I ran into the guards. Turns out, I didn't need to be. They saw me and freak-out, running away, crying,

"Ghost!"

So apparently being dead for a short time has its benefits.

I made my way out of the dungeon and into the main part of the castle where I was met by a whole bunch of guards, including the Captain, who had been alerted by the cries of the other guards. These new guys all looked freaked out to see me, but I knew it wouldn't take long for them to figure out I was real flesh and blood, and well, there was no way for one of me to get past twenty of them in a tiny hallway. Plus, I needed to figure out what they did with Rapunzel. So I just leaned against the wall, folding my arms across my chest.

"Hey guys. How's it hanging?"

Then they captured me. I was taken to an interrogation room where I was sat down and questioned.

"How are you alive?"

"I don't know."

"Did you really die?"

"I don't know."

"Who helped you?"

"I don't know."

"How -"

"Can I ask a question?" The Captain glared at me. "Where's Rapunzel? Where's the girl who was with me?"

"That's none of your business!"

"Look, I don't know how I got here and I don't care what you do to me. All I care about right now is the girl. So will you tell me where she is or do I have to break out of here and find her myself?"

To my surprise, it wasn't the Captain who answered. The King of Corona himself step forward through the crowd of guards. "The girl is safe and sound, here in the castle."

I looked up at the imposing figure of the King. I had seen portraits of him before and even seen him from a distance at a parade once. Up close, he towered over me with a stern face and authoritative voice. But there was kindness in his eyes. King Anders was known throughout the kingdom for his justice and mercy. He was the seventh in a long line of good kings and the kingdom loved him. Still, it's pretty scary to have the most powerful man in the kingdom staring at you.

He turned to the Captain and ordered the guards to leave the room, which they did, leaving me alone with the king. I gulped and fidgeted in my seat. This couldn't be good.

"Tell me, Flynn Rider, who is this girl to you? How did you come to know her?"

"Uh…" I wasn't sure how to respond. This wasn't the kind of questioning I'd expected. "It's kind of a long story."

"Well, why don't you start at the beginning."

So I told him… everything, all the way up to –

"And then I died."

"You died?"

"Uh… yeah. Or I thought I did anyway, until I woke up in your morgue. Honestly, I have no idea how that happened."

King Anders nodded. He'd listened very patiently to my tale, not interrupting except to ask for clarification, and it seemed like he believed me which was both a surprise and a relief. He said nothing for several moments, so I decided to break the silence.

"Look, Your Majesty, I know I'm not in any position to ask for anything but, I just need to know that she's alright."

He looked at me, seeming to consider the question carefully before answering. "Rapunzel is fine. Physically, she is healthy. She has gotten quite a bit of sleep and had a bite to eat with me just before I came here."

I caught the 'physically' part. "But…"

"But emotionally, she is distraught. She is grieving the loss of someone by the name of Eugene. You wouldn't happen to know who that is, would you?"

"Uh… that's me." I mumbled, uncomfortable with revealing my true name. "My real name, Eugene Fitzherbert… Flynn Rider is just an alias."

"I see… then she still believes you are dead." After a moment, he stood up. "Come with me."

Bewildered, and having no idea what else I should do, I followed him out of the room and down the hall to a window overlooking a garden. It was day – sometime early morning from what I could tell – but already the court seemed to be busy. Two men were pruning bushes in the garden and beyond I could see guards busy preparing their horses at the stables. I briefly found myself hoping that Maximus was being well cared for.

"Look there."

Startled out of my thoughts, I looked where the king indicated. There, on a bench in the far corner of the garden, sat Rapunzel. I pressed my hand against the glass as I recognized her and felt a strange relief pass through me as my heart leapt into my throat. Having someone tell me she was fine was one thing. But only when I saw her did I truly relax.

She sat there apparently talking to Pascal whom I could just barely make out – a little green blob on her knee, standing out against the deep blue of a dress I'd never seen before. As far as I knew, she only had the one purple dress. I lifted my gaze to her face and her newly cropped brown hair, atop of which sat a crown – the same crown I had stolen only a few days ago…

Wait… What?

"I gathered from your tale that you were unaware that the girl you saved was in fact my daughter, the lost princess of Corona."

I was speechless. I stared down at her, baffled.

"Princess? But…"

And then suddenly it all made sense. Eighteen years old, blonde hair, green eyes, locked away in a tower… it all fit.

"Princess Rapunzel… who'd of thought? But of course, she'd have to be a princess. Why else would she be so…" I trailed, realizing that I was speaking out loud.

"So what?" The King asked.

I wasn't sure how to respond at first but then I sighed, leaning my forehead against the glass and going with the truth. "So perfect… so utterly and incredibly amazing."

"You love her."

He wasn't asking. He knew.

"Yeah." And then it hit me… she was a princess. And here was I, a lowly thief standing next to the king and confessing that I loved his daughter, a princess who could never be mine.

"Your Majesty?"

"Yes?"

"Again, I know that I'm not in any position to ask for anything – you've already allowed so much." And he had, because frankly, I should be in prison right now, not standing next to the king, staring at his daughter without any guards to make sure I didn't take off. "But, please, don't tell Rapunzel I'm alive."

It hurt me to ask it. All I wanted was to go down there and pull her into my arms and never let her go. But I knew that I couldn't. Because one way or another, I would have to let her go. I would be taken from her and she would be hurt again. It was better this way. She was a princess. She'd found her true family and they would love her and care for her and treat her the way she deserved to be treated. That was all I wanted for her. She'd be happy. Eventually she'd forget about me and some prince would come and sweep her off her feet.

I cringed at the thought, but was spared from thinking about it further when the king questioned my request. "I don't understand. I assumed you would want her to know."

I looked at him, formulating my answer carefully. "I'm a thief. I know my fate. It would only hurt her more if she knew I was back, only to lose me a second time."

"You may have been a thief, Flynn Rider, but having heard both her story and yours, I can see that you have changed your ways. You found my daughter and saved her life, giving your life for hers. You are a hero and as such I am granting a full pardon for all of your past crimes."

I stunned. Literally. I couldn't move. I just stood there, staring at him, unbelieving. Suddenly, a new life opened before me. I could start over. I could make something of myself. I could fulfill my new dream. I could be with…

But no, I couldn't be with her. Pardon or no, I was still a nobody and she was a princess. Princesses marry princes. They live in castles and everybody loves them.

I turned back to the window and looked down at Rapunzel who had been joined by an older woman I could only assume was the Queen. She embraced her mother, her real mother, and a sweet smile lit her face as they spoke.

"Still," I finally said. "It's better she doesn't know. I can't stay here. I don't belong here. But she would never understand that. She belongs here. She'll be happy here. And she'll forget about me soon enough. It's better that I just disappear now."

I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Are you sure about this, son?"

I looked up at the King, surprised. No one had ever called me that before. I looked back at Rapunzel and made up my mind.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Very well, then. I will honor your request."

"Thank you."

"Now then, you're a free man, Flynn Rider. I would like to offer you a job."

"A job?"

"I'm in need of someone with your particular talents – the ability to sneak in and out of places undetected, to… gather information, if you follow my meaning."

It wasn't my dream, far from it in fact. But it was something – a way to start my new life. I looked down at Rapunzel, one last time, memorizing her features from a distance. And then I turned away, walking down the hall with the King.

"I'm listening."

And that's how I became the Rouge, an employee of the kingdom, both under the law and a law unto myself. It was a good time for me. I enjoyed my work. I was making more than enough money to live comfortably and I always had something to do, something to keep my mind off of what I couldn't have.

As for Rapunzel, she quickly won the hearts of the whole kingdom. She blossomed as a princess, the delight of everyone who met her. I kept an ear out for information about her, learning what I could.

But it would three years before I saw Rapunzel again.


	2. Chapter 1

**Rogue Knight: A **_**Tangled**_** Fanfiction**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **All recognizable characters are the property of _Disney_. I do not own them but am grateful for the opportunity to use them in the unleashing of my own imagination.

**Rating:** This story is rated K+ for action and possible mild language.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Seven A.M., the usual morning line up**

**Aren't any chores or things for me to clean**

**Pick out a dress, put on a little make-up**

**Not too much. Got to rush**

**Cause it's seven-fifteen**

**I've got to go eat breakfast with my Mom and Dad**

**Seeing their smiling faces always makes me glad**

**So many things to do in the time ahead**

**As a wondrous new day begins**

**Then after lunch it's time for princess lessons**

**Manners and horseback riding, dates and names**

**So many things to learn, hope I don't mess up**

**Then hang out with Pascal**

**And we'll play a few games**

**I'll take a walk through town, visit my favorite stores**

**I really like this chocolate. Could I have some more?**

**There's so much to discover, so much fun in store**

**And I'll keep learning and joking and dreaming and hoping**

**As a wondrous new day begins**

**And then, at night I'll stop for awhile**

**Remember that day and how he made me smile**

**Because of him my life has changed**

**Now that he's gone my heart feels so strange**

Rapunzel stood on the end of the dock, hanging onto the pylon as she leaned out over the water, staring out at the setting sun. It would be dark soon and then the stars would appear, the same stars she'd seen all her life. She'd discovered, since leaving her tower and moving to Corona, that the stars were the same no matter where you were. No matter how much her life changed or how confusing things became, the stars remained constant and Rapunzel loved them for it.

She'd found out early on that the best place to see the stars was from the docks which weren't lit by lamps at night like the streets of town or the courtyards of the castle. The lamps diluted the light from the stars. But out on the docks it was dark and the stars shone as brightly as they always had outside her tower window.

She found herself thinking about her tower often. For awhile she had tried to push it out of her thoughts. That was the past. She had a new life now and didn't need to dwell on the tower or her mother. She was a princess. Her parents were the king and queen of Corona. She had everything she could ever want and there was no reason to think about the things she'd lost.

But she'd found that she couldn't tell herself to forget about the past because that would mean forgetting about Eugene too and she couldn't do that! She couldn't!

He was too important, too precious… he was her dream. Yet all she had left of him was his memory – the memory of a dream.

So she wouldn't forget – not anything. And really there was no reason to forget the tower or Mother either. For all that she'd been trapped there her whole life – she'd been happy and well cared for. And despite everything Mother had done, Rapunzel loved her still. She still thought of her as "mother," though she never called her that out loud. She called her "Gothel" or "Mother Gothel." She'd found that it prevented confusion. But in her mind, she was still "Mother."

Her real mother was "Mom" or "Mama." She could never bring herself to give the her the title of "mother" and the Queen understood that.

It had been three years since she left the tower – since Eugene saved her and showed her the world and… died. She'd come to terms with that, accepted it, but it still hurt every time she remembered that she would never see him again.

The princess sighed as she sat down on the dock, slipping off her shoes as she did so. She'd gotten used to wearing them when she had to but she still preferred going barefoot. Hanging her feet over the edge of the dock, she dipped her toes into the water. They'd had a lot of rain in the past few months and the water was higher than usual. She giggled as several small fish gathered around to nibble at her toes, looking for food.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Rapunzel started at the voice, but it was familiar so she simply leaned her head backward to stare upside-down at the approaching figure.

"Hello, Phillip."

"Hello, Rapunzel."

Prince Phillip looked down on her with a sideways grin, his green eyes glinting in the light from the lantern he carried. He was the younger brother of the King of Patron and had come to Corona a few weeks ago for some diplomatic meetings with King Anders. Rapunzel liked him a lot. He was sweet and funny and a little bit clumsy. He'd spent a lot of time with her since he'd come to Corona and she would be sad to see her new friend go when his business with her father was over.

This wasn't the first time he'd found her at the docks. She went there often and it didn't take him long to discover her most frequented spots. Now he set the lantern of to the side and took a seat beside her. He allowed his legs to hang over the edge as hers were but didn't take into account the level of the water.

SPLASH!

Both his boots were suddenly filled with water. In shock, he scrambled backwards, knocking over the lantern and sending water flying everywhere.

Rapunzel tried not to laugh, she really did. But the look on his face was just so funny. Soon they were both laughing together as he pulled off his boots and dumped out the water.

"I hope you'll forgive my clumsiness, Princess." He apologized after they'd caught their breaths. "I didn't realize the water was so high."

"It wasn't your fault. I should have warned you. Besides, there's no harm done, except to your boots maybe."

"They'll dry." He said, setting the boots to the side and recollecting himself, once more the image of a prince – only barefoot. "So what brings you out here tonight?"

Rapunzel shrugged. "Stargazing." She looked up at the sky. The sun had fully set and the moon had not yet risen so the stars were the brightest lights in the heavens. "Aren't they beautiful."

"Yes, beautiful." Rapunzel failed to realize that Phillip was not staring at the stars but at her.

"Look! There's Chameleon!" She pointed out the constellation, reminiscent of her dear friend Pascal. "And over there is the Corona Borealis! And there's the satchel of Flynnigan, the thief!"

"Rapunzel." Phillip interrupted.

"Yes, Phillip?"

"I came here tonight to tell you that I must go tomorrow."

Rapunzel, frowned slightly. "Oh, that's too bad. I'm going to miss you a lot."

"As I will miss you." He took her hand between both of his.

"Then we'll just have to keep in touch." She brightened. "I love writing letters!"

Phillip chuckled softly at her everlasting optimism. "Yes, indeed. Letters would be wonderful. But…" He stood up, still grasping her hand and bringing her up with him. "Rapunzel, there is something I would very much like to ask you."

"Okay." She gave him her full attention, looking up at him with eyes full of expectation. They widened into surprise as her suddenly knelt before her.

"Princess Rapunzel… would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?"

"Oh!" Rapunzel was stunned. She hadn't expected this, hadn't even considered that Phillip might be interested in her in that way. He was her friend, certainly, and they got along so well. But marriage? She knew she was supposed to get married someday but she hadn't really thought about it much. It was one of those "someday" things, like becoming queen. She didn't think she'd have to worry about it for a long time.

But now Phillip was asking her to marry him. He was expecting an answer and she didn't know what to do. She thought marriage was a wonderful thing. Just last year, she'd been to the wedding of the Duke of Sherbet and it had been splendid. For several days afterwards' she'd had dreams about her own future wedding, only, in her dreams it had always been Eugene standing beside her at the altar.

She thought of the dreams again, trying to super impose Phillip's image over that of Eugene. She couldn't do it. Phillip was her friend but she didn't love him the way she had loved Eugene and she couldn't imagine marrying him. In her mind still, even years after his death, she could only picture Eugene beside her.

"Phillip, I…" He looked at her, so hopeful. She felt badly for what she was about to do. "I'm sorry. I can't."

"Oh." He stood somewhat surprised that she'd turned him down. "If you're concerned about what your parents will think, you needn't worry. I have already spoken to them both and they approve of the match."

"No… no, it's not that." Rapunzel shook her head, smiling slightly at the thought that he'd been so chivalrous as to ask her parent's permission.

"The what is it?"

"I can't marry you, Phillip… because my heart belongs to someone else."

"What? Who?"

She looked out over the water, nostalgically. "Someone who isn't here anymore."

"He must have been a thief, to steal your heart and run away!" Phillip replied, angry at whoever had hurt his dear Rapunzel. "The dirty, rotten – "

"No, Phillip! It wasn't like that!" She looked at the prince, letting him know with her eyes that she was telling the truth. "He… he gave his life for me."

And with those words, Phillip seemed to wilt. Prince or no, for the heart of a princess, he could never hope to compete against the man who died for her. "Oh, Princess, forgive me. I didn't mean to…"

"No, Phillip. It wasn't your fault. You didn't know. Besides, it was a long time ago."

"But Rapunzel…" Phillip thought he'd try one more time. "If he's gone, then… well, what I mean is… you'll have to marry someday…"

"Yes, I know. And I will… someday. But not yet. I'm just… not ready."

Well, if she wasn't ready then she wasn't ready, but Phillip wasn't going to simply give up. "Well, whenever you are ready… will you keep me in mind?"

"Oh, Phillip! Of course!" She spun around and gave the prince a hug with all the exuberance and enthusiasm that was pure, one hundred percent Rapunzel.

"Then that's all I can ask." Phillip returned then hug, though more reservedly. "Come, we should be getting back."

Rapunzel picked up her shoes and Phillip picked up the lantern and together they walked back to the castle. Neither of them noticed that the prince's shoes were still sitting in a puddle on the dock.

A few hours later, after bidding goodnight to Phillip and her parents, Rapunzel sat in her room telling Pascal about Phillip's proposal.

"Maybe I should have said yes. I mean, he's a wonderful prince and a great friend and the marriage would make a strong alliance between Corona and Patron. He'd be a wonderful husband. He'd take care of me and I'd take care of him and we'd be happy together. Isn't that what marriage is about? Being happy?"

Pascal looked at her, tilting his head to the side, and chirped. Rapunzel sighed.

"You're right Pascal. It wouldn't be fair to him or to me. Because no matter how happy we were, it would never be enough. I don't want just a husband and a friend. I want my partner, my best friend, my dream… and I can't have him… because he's gone."

**I've got my parents love. How could I ask for more?**

**I've got a prince who's waiting right outside my door**

**I've got so many things I should be thankful for**

**But I just can't forget about him**

**Even as my new life begins.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Rogue Knight: A **_**Tangled**_** Fanfiction**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **All recognizable characters are the property of _Disney_. I do not own them but am grateful for the opportunity to use them in the unleashing of my own imagination.

**Rating:** This story is rated K+ for action and possible mild language.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

The street lamps were flickering low by the time Eugene Fitzherbert crossed the bridge into Corona. He'd been on assignment for over two months, gathering intelligence on a series of raids that had been taking place in the farming towns to the East, near the border of Barceló. The trip had been long and, quite frankly, exhausting. But he had finally found what he was looking for, information which he would pass on to the king first thing in the morning - just as soon as he got some sleep.

All too soon, the sun was shining brightly through his parted curtains and the smell of freshly baked bread was wafting up through the floorboards from the restaurant below. Eugene rolled over in bed with a groan, throwing his arm over his eyes to block out the light. He could barely remember making it back to his apartment and crawling into bed but it couldn't have been more than two hours ago. He knew he'd have to get up soon and deliver his report to the king but surely he could get another hour in at least.

He'd only just begun to doze once more when there was a noise, like tiny footsteps, just outside his door. This noise was quickly followed by a light knocking that forced Eugene to wake up entirely.

"Are you there, Mr. Hawkins?" a small voice asked. "Its breffest time, Mr. Hawkins."

Eugene sighed, knowing it was no use staying in bed any longer. He rose and went to the door, opening it to reveal a small blonde-haired boy, no more than six years old.

"Hey there, Timmy." Eugene said with a yawn. Timothy Branders was the youngest son of the building's landlady. The boy had taken it upon himself to wake Eugene up for breakfast everyday – apparently even while he was gone, just in case he came back in the middle of the night as he had this time.

Mrs. Branders was a widow, her husband having died at sea four years ago. She owned the building and the restaurant below and her six children helped her run the place. Even little Timmy did his part – his main job was to take care of "Mr. Hawkins."

"You are back, Mr. Hawkins! I hoped you would be back soon. You was gone a long time. Are you gonna have breffest with us this moning, Mr. Hawkins?"

Eugene chuckled and crouched down to the boy's level. "You know, Timmy, I think I will. I'll be down in just a few minutes"

"Okay, I'll go tell Mama. See you later, Mr. Hawkins!" Timmy waved and took off down the hallway.

Eugene Fitzherbert was a man of many names. Jack Hawkins was the alias he used in town. He had others for on the road and a different name for each job he took. Most recently he had been Arthur Merek, son of a wealthy merchant from Bacardi. But that assignment was over.

After closing the door behind the boy, Eugene stretched and went to the window. He'd lived in this apartment for three years, since about a week after… well, after everything. Two days was all it took to change his life completely and now here he was – his own apartment, a full-time job – what more could he want?

He stared wistfully at the castle of Corona, shining in the early morning sunlight. He'd chosen this room for the view. The building was mostly an inn, used by sailors and merchants for brief stops on their voyages. Eugene was the only permanent boarder. As such, he'd pretty much gotten his pick of the rooms. This room wasn't the biggest, or even the nicest by some standards, but it had the best view of the castle which, for Eugene, translated to the best view of the Princess. Not that he could actually see Rapunzel from there, but at least he knew he was looking in her general direction as he put his fingers to his lips and blew a small kiss towards the castle.

"Good morning, Princess."

He turned away from the window and proceeded to get ready for the day. Pouring some water from the pitcher into the wash basin, he washed his hands and face and then dried with the towel that was laid out for him. Good Mrs. Branders made sure to keep everything fresh for him so that it would be ready when he returned from his trips.

Finishing up, he pulled on a clean shirt, put a few items he would need for the day, including his notes from his assignment, into his satchel and headed downstairs for breakfast.

"Jack! Welcome Back. It's been so quiet here without you." Mrs. Branders said when Eugene entered the kitchen. He knew that the older woman often worried for him on his longer trips. She thought of him as another son, though a good deal older than her own children, and saw him as a good role model for her boys who were having to grow up without a father.

"Thanks. It's good to be home."

A series of "hellos" came from the table now as each of the children greeted him in their own fashion, almost simultaneously.

Eugene smiled. "Yes, yes, yes! Hello Timothy, Tabitha, Tessa, Thomas, Terrance, and Tasha. Have you all been behaving for your mother?"

"Yes, Mr. Hawkins!" they chorused.

"Yeah right. They've been crawling up the walls again haven't they?" He said softly to Mrs. Branders. "I'm sure I saw some footprints on the ceiling." He concluded, giving each of the children a stern look. Everyone laughed.

"Oh, Jack, you are too much." Mrs. Branders replied.

The family, plus Eugene, settled down to eat breakfast together and question "Jack" about his latest journey. Of course, his job, like his name, had to be somewhat fabricated. For all the Branders knew, "Jack Hawkins" was a simply a royal surveyor, whose job it was to travel throughout the kingdom, taking note of changes, problems, and points of interest to be reported to the king. This cover allowed him to keep his tales fairly close to the truth, easily explaining his long absences and occasional injuries. He fallen easily into the character of Jack Hawkins over the three years he'd been there. It was one of his favorite aliases, because it allowed him to have a place to call home – something he hadn't had since his days in the orphanage. As Jack Hawkins he had friends, a good reputation, and a confirmed place within the South Port District community.

"Mama, Mr. Hawkins, wait till you hear the news." That was Tasha, the eldest. Though only fourteen, she was already caught up in the excitement of town gossip and had a keen ear for picking up the latest information. Have garnered the attention of the entire table, she cleared her throat gently before diving into her tale.

"When I went out to get the milk this morning, I saw Catherine Smith, the blacksmith's daughter, and she told me that her elder brother was on the night watch last night and he heard from the watchman of North Port District, who heard it from the watcher of the Docks – but it doesn't really matter who heard it from whom because it's surely the talk of the whole town by now."

"What is, sweetheart?" Mrs. Branders prompted, urging her daughter to get to the point.

"Well just that, last night, Princess Rapunzel was down by the docks and - "

"That's not news," interrupted Terrence. "She goes there all the time."

"I wasn't finished Terrence!"

"Children, please." Mrs. Branders scolded the two. "Please continue, Tasha."

Eugene smiled gently, pleased to hear some news of his beloved princess. He had heard that she like to spend time at the docks in the evening – stargazing, they said. He'd often fought with himself over whether or not he should spend time there himself, in hopes of catching a glimpse –but it was too dangerous. He couldn't risk her seeing him.

"The princess was by the docks, only this time she wasn't alone. Prince Phillip was with her; you know, Prince Phillip from Patròn. They were talking and well, the watchman couldn't say for certain because he couldn't rightfully hear them from where he was but from what he saw of their actions he's fairly sure that the Prince made a proposal of marriage."

Eugene froze.

"Oh my! That is news! Well, how exciting." Mrs. Branders responded.

The children quickly broke into their own discussions of the princess and proposals and weddings. The only one who didn't seem to care at all was Timothy, who didn't really understand and was staring instead at Eugene.

Eugene didn't know what to think – or what to feel. On the one hand he felt angry and jealous. Who was this pompous prince to think he could go anywhere near Rapunzel? On the other hand, a small part of him was glad that Rapunzel had moved on and found someone to love her. But he was also worried. What if he didn't treat her right? What if he hurt her? Then, there was the complete and total heartbreak, like someone was tearing his chest open and -

"Wait!" Tasha called for attention once more, clearly unhappy at having not completed her story. "I haven't told you her answer yet."

"Well, of course she said 'yes.'" Terrence said rolling his eyes.

"No. She didn't."

Eugene started out of his thoughts, unbelieving but grasping onto the smallest hope that what Tasha said was true.

Tasha continued through the protests of her siblings. "Everyone says that the princess turned down the proposal. No one knows why, but Prince Phillip is leaving Corona today and there's been no word of a royal engagement."

Eugene let out his breath in a relieved sigh, not having realized that he'd been holding his breath. Luckily, the only one who seemed to notice was Timothy who didn't really understand anyway and only continued to stare and Eugene who was the only other person at the table not talking.

* * *

Later that morning, Eugene found himself out in the town, walking a roundabout path towards the castle. He never walked there directly, never made it obvious that was where he was headed. Although the towns folk, who knew him, knew of his "job" as a "royal surveyor," the palace folk knew nothing of his Jack Hawkins persona. In fact, they knew nothing of him at all, for he both entered and exited in secret, and disguised his face at all times within, unless alone with the king. To those who might see him there, he was The Rogue and nothing more – hated by men, glorified by women, always cloaked in mystery – his reputation as The Rogue had spread throughout the kingdom and beyond.

He took an indirect route through the city and today he was grateful for the extra time. He needed a little more time to settle his thoughts and emotions. It was hard enough being in the same building as Rapunzel without being already caught up in thought over Prince Phillip's proposal.

Of course, it was hard to stop thinking about it. As Tasha predicted, news of the proposal had become the talk of the town. As he passed through the Shopping District, he caught bits and pieces of tittle-tattle and an argument concerning something about Prince Phillip's boots. He almost stopped to request clarification but decided it didn't matter. Gossip seldom made any sense and the tales had a tendency to change as they were passed along.

He continued on for awhile, letting his feet carry him mindlessly through the streets as he debated with himself internally.

It made no sense to be jealous of Prince Phillip. First of all, they weren't even engaged. She'd said 'no.' but even if she'd agreed to the marriage he'd still have no reason to be angry. This is what he wanted for her – the whole reason he'd left when he did and kept his life a secret from her. It was all so that she could be happy, move on and get married and live the life she deserved.

Of course, telling himself this didn't make his heart hurt any less at the thought of his love in the arms of another man.

_It doesn't matter_ he told himself again. _Nothing happened anyway. She said 'no.'_

Breaking out of his thoughts, Eugene looked about and realized that he'd reach the castle wall. He was far from the main entrance, in a seldom used, back alley-way. After looking about to ensure no one was around, Eugene crouched next to a iron grate which blocked the entrance to a water exit tunnel which served as an ideal means of sneaking in and out. That is, if you had the right key.

As it was, there were only two such keys in existence. The king had one. The other was in Eugene's satchel. Finding the key quickly, he unlocked the grate, slipped inside, and re-locked the grate behind him in less than a minute.

He had to remain in a crouched position through the first part of the tunnel, so as not to hit his head. In front of him, there was another grate which opened with the same key. As soon as he passed through he was able to stand upright. Despite the complete lack of light in the tunnel, Eugene knew exactly where he was and which direction to go in. He'd followed this same path countless times before. The tunnels had originally been built as a system of aqueducts and catacombs but they hadn't been used in over a generation and were all but forgotten.

Turning to his right, Eugene walked blindly through the maze of tunnels, counting his steps to ensure he didn't get lost. After about three minutes he arrived at a set of stairs which would lead him to his destination. Pausing at the bottom, he reached into his satchel for his mask. The black fabric covered the top of his head, obscuring his eyes and most of his nose. After ensuring that it was properly in place, Eugene proceeded to climb the stairs which led directly to the king's office.

The door didn't look like a door from the outside. It looked like another section of wall. It even had a painting hung on it. What most people didn't realize was that this painting was covered in miniscule holes which, if seen together with light shining through one side and not the other, created a screen through which a person could see the room beyond. For this reason, the king never held his most secret meetings in this office. Although there was little chance that anyone besides himself and Eugene would know of the secret passage, the chance was still there and it was too much of a risk to take when it came to vital information.

Thankfully, the information Eugene was delivering today, while important, was not top secret and so he didn't have to go any farther into the castle than this office. Looking through the screen, he noted that the room was currently empty. That was fine. He'd wait. The king was accustomed to him simply appearing in his office.

After adjusting his mask once more, he opened the hidden door silently and slipped inside. The office had three tall windows on the far wall, letting in enough daylight to see the room clearly without candles. Another wall was entirely occupied by a huge set of double doors, elegantly carved with the Royal Sun Crest of Corona. The wall containing the hidden door was hung with paintings of the past kings of Corona. Eugene had spent some time studying these paintings, learning a bit about the old kings from the present king. Corona, like any kingdom, had been through all sorts of kings, both good and bad. Eugene was glad that King Anders was most definitely good and just.

The final wall held a large fireplace and, above the mantel hung another painting. Eugene looked up at it and was startled to find that the painting had changed. The old painting had been of King Anders alone, in the same pose and colors used by the old kings in the other paintings. This new painting, however, depicted the entire royal family.

Eugene walked over to the painting, his eyes transfixed on the princess shown standing slightly in front of her parents with their hands on her shoulders. She was smiling brightly and the artist had almost managed to capture the brightness of her green eyes perfectly. If the painting was accurate, then Rapunzel had physically matured a bit over the past three years. Her face was slightly thinner and her body somewhat fuller. The change was miniscule, if it wasn't merely manufactured by the artist, but Eugene could see the difference. Having not seen her, or any image of her in three years, the change was notable.

The young man was so captured by the image that he failed to notice the sound of approaching footsteps and voices until the door to the office opened and the sound cut off abruptly. Eugene spun about and saw King Anders standing in the doorway with the captain of the guard by his side.

"Your Majesty." Eugene bowed from the waist, respectfully. "Captain." He added with a nod to the other man.

"Rider." The captain growled softly in return. The Captain was perhaps the only person besides the king who knew the Rogue's true identity. Even three years later, he still held a grudge against Eugene – the thief who escaped punishment due to the mere technicality of having rescued the lost princess, the criminal who he was now forced to treat as an equal, the scoundrel who, nevertheless, had the complete trust and confidence of King Anders.

"Captain," the king addressed him directly. "We will continue this conversation later?"

"Of course, Your Majesty." He bowed and left the room with a final glare towards Eugene. The younger man just smirked and shook his head, knowing that he and the captain would always butt heads.

Once the door was closed, King Anders faced Eugene and smiled. "Eugene. Welcome home. I was beginning to worry."

"For me? Your Majesty, I'm touched," Eugene joked lightly.

The king chuckled softly in reply, enjoying Eugene's humor. "Yes, well don't let it go to your head."

"Of course not, Sire."

"Come, sit. Tell me, how have you been?" The king passed by his desk and took a seat in one of the comfortable chairs in the corner, inviting Eugene to do the same. Eugene sat and removed his mask, knowing the king preferred to see his face, and watched as King Anders drew two glasses and a bottle of dark liquor from a low cabinet beside his chair. He poured both glasses and handed one to Eugene who nodded his thanks.

"I've been well, Your Majesty, thank you. And yourself?"

"Quite well, indeed. How are Mrs. Branders and the children?"

"They're all fine. Those kids are getting bigger every day."

"Ah, yes. They grow up so fast." The king's eyes shifted to a point above Eugene's head. Eugene turned to see the family portrait behind him and for a moment both men were lost in thought about the beautiful young princess in the middle.

Eugene broke the silence first, shaking his head and clearing his throat before turning back to the king. "Um… my assignment."

King Anders smiled gently, knowing full well what sort of thoughts Eugene Fitzherbert harbored for his daughter, but he said nothing about it. Instead, he nodded and gestured with his hand for the younger man to proceed. "To business."

The two men sipped their drinks slowly as Eugene explained what he had discovered on his mission.

"The Barcelan government and armies have nothing to do with the raids although those in charge are doing their best to make sure it looks as though they do. They've hired mercenaries and ex-convicts from Barceló to lead the attacks which is why we've received so many reports about a potential Barcelan invasion. But with the civil dispute going on in Barceló right now, it makes no sense for their rulers to try and claim our lands."

"That's a relief. We've been allied with Barceló for almost three generations. I'd hate to ruin that now. But who is conducting these raids? And why?"

"A man named Agro Marduk. He's originally from Patron but he hasn't lived there in over thirty years. I found out that he did serve in the Barcelan military for a while and was even promoted to Captain before being dishonorably discharged which explains his knowledge of military tactics and his grudge against Barceló. His whereabouts after that are… uncertain. He is rumored to have been seen in various places throughout the kingdom but he didn't stay anywhere for very long.

"Now, Marduk is most definitely the military brains behind the raids, and he's certainly interested in inciting a war between Barceló and Corona, but that's not the main purpose. There's another man, goes by the name Fritjof, who is not only funding the raids but directing them. He comes from the old kingdoms to the far north and was apparently there during the final collapse of the old kingdoms forty years ago. He has a lot of old family money and is some sort of… alchemist, I suppose. He fancies himself to be a magician and is searching for something that will give him more power. That's why he's funding the raids. He's looking for something specific."

"Do you know what it is?" The king asked.

"Yes, I do. Although… I'm not sure it's something that actually exists. They call it the Golden Gem. It's supposed to have powerful properties which can be summoned if you know the right spell, and apparently Fritjof knows them all. No one seems to know exactly what these properties are. I've heard everything from raising the dead to leveling forests but it's definitely the sort of power a guy like Marduk would love to get his hands on so he's letting Fritjof guide him in this."

Eugene paused in his explanation and swirled his drink idly before taking another sip. It was a good sweet liquor made only in Corona – not particularly strong but good for settling the stomach and the mind.

"Is the Golden Gem a gemstone made of gold or the color of gold?" King Anders asked.

"It's the color, I think. It's not a manmade thing. It's supposed to be completely natural. I heard someone say that to hold the Gem is to hold the power of the Sun in your hand. Have you ever heard of anything like this?"

"No, I haven't. Although Corona is riddled with myths of objects imparted with power by the Sun. We know a few ourselves." King Anders gestured to his daughter's image in the painting. "Perhaps the library will provide some clue as to what they are looking for. In the mean time, we need to put a stop to these raids. Were you able to find either Marduk or Fritjof?"

"Unfortunately, I wasn't. They lay low between raids and have found one heck of a hiding spot. I think our best bet is to predict where they're going to strike next and be there, waiting for them."

"But how do we do that?"

"Well, the Gem is our only clue. If we can find and follow the same myth they're following, it'll lead us right to them."

"Indeed. Well, I suggest that you hit the books, Mr. Fitzherbert." The King said, rising from his seat.

Eugene rose as well, a bit surprised. "Me? Your Majesty, wouldn't it be better to leave that to scholars or… something. I thought I be going back to keep looking for Marduk and Fritjof."

"Eugene, you know what you're looking for better than any scholar I could find. Besides, if Marduk and Fritjof are hiding as well as you say they are, there really is no reason to continue searching. Also, you've returned from a two-month assignment and, quite frankly, you look exhausted." King Anders laid a hand on Eugene's shoulder and smiled gently. "Go home, son. Get some sleep and a few good meals and we'll start in the library tomorrow."

Eugene sighed. "Yes, Your Majesty." King Anders nodded and began to turn away but Eugene stopped him. "Your Majesty?"

"Yes, Eugene?"

"The library… doesn't, um… doesn't the princess spend a lot of time there… in the library, I mean?"

The king smiled. "Yes, I believe she does. Is that going to be a problem?"

Eugene knew that smile. It was the same smile Rapunzel got when she was planning something. That fact alone terrified him.

"No." He answered. "Not a problem at all."


	4. Chapter 3

**Rogue Knight: A **_**Tangled**_** Fanfiction**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **All recognizable characters are the property of _Disney_. I do not own them but am grateful for the opportunity to use them in the unleashing of my own imagination.

**Note: **Lyrics are from a deleted song in _Pocahontas_.

**Rating:** This story is rated K+ for action and possible mild language.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"_Many years ago, a single drop of sunlight fell from the heavens and from this small drop of sun, grew a magic, golden flower. It had the ability to heal the sick and injured…_ and if you feed it to a pregnant queen, her daughter will have magic hair that glows when she sings. Been there. Done that. Bought the tapestry. Next!"

Eugene tossed the book onto a growing pile of tomes on the table in front of him. He'd been at it for two days now, going through every single book in the library that mentioned the words gold, gem, sun, or magic together in any combination. His knowledge of Coronan literature was expanding greatly as he sifted through the fairy tales and fables, searching endlessly for a bit of non-fiction which didn't simply lead back to a certain magic flower.

His eyes hurt. His brain hurt. And his face itched.

Lifting his mask just a bit, Eugene scratched at his cheek. He hated wearing the thing for so long. It was stifling. But he had no choice. He had to wear it in the castle or run the risk of being identified by a certain princess who spent far too much time in the library.

He'd avoided her so far. Her lilting voice and laughter alerted him to her presence in time for him to dash away to a hidden corner or secret passage. He hadn't seen her yet, though the temptation to spy on her was burning through his chest. He squashed that desire even as he tried to reason himself into believing that a quick look would do no harm. He was an excellent spy. It was his job after all. She'd never know he was there.

But, no. He couldn't do it. He wouldn't let himself because he knew that one look would never be enough. If he saw her, even once… he wouldn't be able to stay away. It was hard enough just hearing her voice.

"What should we read today, Pascal?"

Eugene groaned. This was torture.

He grabbed the next book on the stack and hurried away to another section of the library. It was a big room, filled with shelves which reached to the ceiling. Corona boasted one of the largest libraries in the region, its countless volumes drawing scholars from all over the world. A few students looked up as Eugene breezed past but returned to their work just as quickly. They knew better than to bother the mysterious, masked man, known as the Rogue.

Finding a secluded desk, far from his previous place, Eugene settled down to read. He didn't get very far, however, before he was interrupted by a sudden crash and startled scream.

The book was forgotten as he dashed through the aisles, his mind flashing back to his desperate prison escape and the one thought that rang between his ears, "_Save her!_"

He found the princess struggling to keep her balance on a ladder as she stretched towards a group of books just beyond her reach, desperately trying to push them back and keep them from toppling over the edge and joining the other books already on the floor. Leaning just a bit further, she secured the books but lost her grip on gravity.

Eugene caught her as she slipped off the ladder and stumbled gracelessly into his arms. Fortunately, she'd only been three steps up. Unfortunately, Eugene had no idea what to do next.

She was here… in his arms, looking up at him with her wide, green eyes, surprise written all over her face as she clung to him.

His heart pounded in his ears. He couldn't speak, couldn't think. He was torn between simultaneous desires to pull her close and to push her away and run. Her lips moved but he didn't hear her. His mind was suddenly filled with that night in the boat and the almost-kiss that never happened. Something pulled in his chest, both tightening and releasing: a painful relief.

"Princess Rapunzel, are you alright?" the scholars arrived, shattering the moment of frozen time.

Eugene gasped for air as though he'd momentarily forgotten how to breathe. The sudden rush of oxygen to his brain brought him to his senses and he averted his eyes from the girl still in his arms. He took a moment to steady her on her feet, then offered a small nod of a bow while he stared intently at the spot directly next to her left ear, turned on his heal and walked away.

The moment he turned the corner, he broke into a run.

* * *

"Are you alright, Your Highness?"

Rapunzel blinked, still staring after the strange, masked man, as several students and scholars gathered around her, anxious that their princess might have been injured. She waved off their attentions with an absent hand.

"I'm fine."

"Are you certain, Princess?" asked one man.

"She seems to be in shock." Said another.

"Maybe she needs some water."

"Someone bring the princess some water!"

"She should sit down."

"Someone bring the princess a chair!"

"Come, sit, your highness."

A gentle hand touched her elbow, steering her towards an empty chair which hadn't been there a moment before. Rapunzel blinked again and finally returned her attention to the present moment, even as her eyes continued to dart back to the spot where the stranger had disappeared.

She looked up at the man who was guiding her to a seat. It was Sir Julius, her history tutor. He was an older man, even older than her father, and one of the king's most trusted advisors and dearest friends. He always made Rapunzel laugh with tales of when her father was just a young prince, always getting into trouble. The princess liked him very much.

At the moment, however, her thoughts were lingering elsewhere. She looked again for the man who'd saved her. He'd come out of nowhere, rescuing her at the very last moment. She'd known she was going to fall and had braced herself for the bruises she would have surely received on impact with the floor and the pile of books which had already landed there.

She noticed, now, that the books were gone, having been picked up by the students who had returned to their studies when Sir Julius had arrived to tend to the princess. It was sweet, how they had all come to her aid like that. Everyone here took such good care of her. Sometimes she found it to be a bit stifling, but mostly she found it endearing. These were her people, the queen would say. They loved her and took care of her because they knew that one day she (and her future husband, the queen would add as a subtle hint) would be responsible for taking care of them.

She was used to being "rescued," so to speak, by every knight and scholar who found her in a position which they thought was "too dangerous" for their princess. This time, however, they all would have been too late. If it hadn't been for the stranger in the mask, she really would have gotten hurt. Not seriously, of course, but still. It was so strange, the way he'd appeared so suddenly and then disappear just as quickly. And the way he'd stared at her, his brown eyes so intense, swirling with emotion, not lingering long on any one feeling. Time stood still and her breath caught in her throat. There was something about those eyes, something so familiar. It tugged at her heart in a way she couldn't fully understand.

And then he looked away and his eyes were filled with a pain so deep, it made Rapunzel want to cry. A moment later, he was gone.

He hadn't spoken to her, but she found herself longing to hear his voice. She knew she'd said something to him; probably "thank you" but she couldn't entirely remember. The entire moment was slipping away from her, almost like a dream.

"Here Princess, drink."

A small glass of water was handed to her and she sipped at it absently. "Who… who was that man?" she finally asked.

Sir Julius sat down next to her in a chair which had been brought for him. "Which man, Your Highness? There were several here only moments ago."

"The man who saved me… the one in the mask."

"Ah. The Rogue."

"The Rogue…" Rapunzel pondered over the name a moment, still lost in thought.

"Princess Rapunzel, are you certain you are well?"

The worry in her tutor's tone finally brought her back to the present and she shook away her daze. She turned to the man, her eyes bright with curiosity.

"I'm fine. I promise. Sir Julius, do you know that man? The Rogue?"

Sir Julius chuckled, glad to see the light return to the princess' eyes. "I know of him, although I've never met him personally. Your father speaks very highly of him."

"He does? Well who is he? What does he do? Why does he wear a mask?"

"Why the sudden curiosity?"

Rapunzel paused, realizing that she might seem a little over-zealous in her quest for knowledge. Like a child in a candy store, her father would say. She knew that Papa was only joking when he said that and that he truly enjoyed her thirst for knowledge, but she didn't want others to see her as a child. She wanted them to see her as a strong, intelligent, young woman. And she still wanted them to answer her questions.

Taking a deep breath to calm her thoughts, Rapunzel changed her approach.

"I… well, I've never met him before. I thought I knew everyone who worked in the palace." It was true. She strove to know everyone by name. Having grown up knowing no one except Mother Gothel and Pascal, it felt wonderful to meet new people and have so many friends.

"The Rogue does not work here all of the time. Most of his business in conducted outside of the kingdom."

"Oh… well, I'm still surprised I haven't met him. Especially, if my father likes him so much. What's his business?"

"He is something of an investigator. He gathers information from other kingdoms and reports what he has learned. His work is a valuable asset to our kingdom."

Rapunzel considered that for a moment. "Information… like secret information?" she pondered.

Sir Julius chuckled at her barely contained enthusiasm. "Sometimes."

"So he's a spy! That's so exciting. I didn't know Corona had any spies. I thought they were just in stories. Is that why he wears a mask? So that no one can discover his secret identity?"

"I would assume so."

"Does my father know who he really is? Do you know, Sir Julius?"

"I do not, though I am certain your father does. Now, I must return to my work, Princess, if you are sure you are not injured."

"Oh, yes. Of course. I'm fine. Thank you Sir Julius." As Rapunzel watched the man leave, she thought over what she had learned. "A spy, huh? I've never met a spy before. I bet he has all sorts of adventures." She sighed and leaned back in her chair. "I wonder why he looked so sad." The pain she'd seen in his eyes tugged at her heartstrings and she felt an overwhelming desire to find out what was wrong and to fix it. "I'll bet his eyes are even more beautiful when he smiles."

An image flitted through her mind of another man with intense brown eyes and she shook her head. "What am I thinking? This Rogue couldn't be anything like _him_. No one is like him." A wave of depression hit her and she stood quickly, knowing that she'd have to distract her mind for awhile. A good mystery ought to take care of that.

"What do you think, Pascal? Should we seek out the mysterious masked man?" She looked about for her friend and realized he was missing. "Pascal?"

It wasn't unlike the chameleon to go off on his own at times, so she wasn't worried. Still, the mini-adventure she had planed would be much more fun with her best friend on her shoulder. She huffed and rolled her eyes. "Guess I'd better solve the mystery of the missing chameleon first."

* * *

Eugene found himself sitting on the floor of the secret tunnel which led to the king's office. He'd paused to catch his breath and the adrenaline had rushed out of him leaving him to collapse against the cold, stone wall.

He reached up to take off his mask, using the material to wipe the sweat from his brow and the tears from his eyes. He wouldn't let them fall, even as his body heaved with sobs and his eyes stung. He didn't deserve the relief that tears would bring. He'd chosen this. Since his first pick-pocket excursion at the tender age of eight, every decision he had made had led him to this moment, to this pain he now felt as he clung to the memory of her in his arms only minutes ago.

It might as well have been a lifetime. It could never happen again. The pain he felt now only proved that.

He wished, sometimes, that he could just forget, if only to alleviate the pain. But then, the very thought of forgetting her was too painful to imagine. He couldn't forget her. Even as he endured the pain of loving her from afar, he clung to every precious memory of their time together. He treasured each of them, more valuable to him than a thousand crowns. It was enough. It had to be enough.

She was his dream. He watched her now just as she had watched the floating lanterns for eighteen years – from afar. _What would Hookhand say about his dream now?_ He laughed bitterly at the thought. He knew from the kingdom gossip tree that Hookhand had gone on to become a famous concert pianist. In fact, with the help of Princess Rapunzel, all of the Pub Thugs had managed to live their dreams.

Eugene sighed. Hookhand was right. His old dream sucked. But his new dream… well it was just impossible. The princess and the thief, right? Sounded like a bad fairy tale.

A small chirping sound distracted him from his depressing thoughts. He looked around in the darkness, unable to see anything. He wouldn't normally worry. The tunnels were home to rats and mice and he'd grown accustomed to the sound of them scurrying about. This sound, however, was different from those he was used to and too close; right beside him actually. He frowned, digging into his pocket for a match.

He struck the match on the stone wall an held the tiny flame aloft. At first he didn't see anything in the dim light, just pebbles and rocks scattered on the ground. Then, one of the rocks opened its eyes.

"What the…" The eyes peered at him and then grew wide in surprise. Just as the match burnt out, the rock turned green.

"What on earth?" He quickly struck another match and could now clearly see the chameleon curled up on the ground next to him.

"Pascal!?" The lizard looked up and chirped back at him in an equally surprised tone. Eugene lowered his hand, allowing the chameleon to climb onto his palm, and lifted him to eye level.

"What are you doing here?" Pascal looked at him skeptically and Eugene laughed. "I guess you should be the one asking that question." Pascal nodded and the flame flickered out once more.

Eugene sighed and stood, bringing Pascal with him. "Come on. Better go find some light."

He carried the lizard through the tunnel. After checking to see that the room was empty, he pushed through the secret door into the king's office. He walked over to the desk and set Pascal down before taking a seat in his usual chair. His eyes flicked up to the portrait of the royal family and he sighed before looking back at Pascal.

"Hi."

Pascal chirped his own greeting, then pointed his tail at Eugene's side, where he'd once been fatally wounded.

"Yeah, I know. I should be dead. I was dead. Or I thought I was. But then I wasn't. And here I am. Does that make any sense?"

Pascal shook his head.

"Look, it doesn't matter. The point is, I'm alive."

Chirp.

"I don't know how. It just happened."

Chirp.

"I'm not a zombie."

Chirp.

"No, I'm not a cannibal, either."

Chirp, Chirp.

"Why am I talking to a frog!?" He threw his hands in the air.

Pascal scowled at him, then unwound his tail to point at the painting above the mantel.

Eugene followed the gesture and sighed again. "Rapunzel… Look, Pascal. You can't tell her I'm alive."

The chameleon glared angrily and growled.

"You can't! She can't know. It would hurt only hurt her."

Now Pascal looked confused and chirped inquisitively.

"Because… I'm a thief. She's a princess. It would never work."

Pascal nodded, understanding.

Eugene stood and made his way over to the fireplace. He reached to touch the image of the princess, but stopped himself.

Pascal watched him in silence.

"I miss her, Pascal. Seeing her today… holding her… after all these years. I felt like my heart was being torn to pieces and put back together all at the same time. And she didn't even know it was me. I was a stranger to her. And that's all I'll ever be. It'd be better if I was dead.

"I'm a fool, to have ever thought she could be with someone like me. Even before I knew she was a princess… I didn't deserve her. I ruined my chances for deserving anyone like her when I became a thief at eight years old. I wish I could go back and change that. But I can't. And even if I could, I wouldn't because that's what led me to her.

"I only knew her for two days… those two days changed my life. _She_ changed my life. It's so painful now, but I could never regret climbing that tower."

He stared at the portrait, remembering the feel of her in his arms… the warmth of her skin, the light in her eyes. He added this memory to the other, knowing that they would have to be enough.

**If I never knew you**

**If I never felt this love**

**I would have no inkling of**

**How precious life can be**

**And if I never held you**

**I would never have a clue**

**How at last I'd find in you**

**The missing part of me.**

**If I never knew you**

**I'd be safe but half as real**

**Never knowing I could feel**

**A love so strong and true**

**I'm so grateful to you**

**I'd have lived my whole life through**

**Lost forever**

**If I never knew you**

**I thought our love would be so beautiful**

**Somehow we'd make the whole world bright**

**I thought our love would be so beautiful**

**We'd turn the darkness into light**

**And still my heart is saying we were right**

**There's no moment I regret**

**Since the moment that we met**

**If our time has gone too fast**

**I've lived at last...**

**And if I never knew you**

**I'd have lived my whole life through**

**Empty as the sky**

**Never knowing why**

**Lost forever**

**If I never knew you**


End file.
